Genesis 15:12

Genesis 15:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
• New International Version (NIV)As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.

Context of Genesis 15:12

10So Abram brought all these to Him and cut them down the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11The birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. When the sun was setting, a deep sleep overcame Abram; and a horror (terror, shuddering fear, nightmare) of great darkness overcame him. 13God said to Abram, “Know for sure that your descendants will be strangers [living temporarily] in a land (Egypt) that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years. 14But on that nation whom your descendants will serve I will bring judgment, and afterward they will come out [of that land] with great possessions.

Genesis 15:12 word by word

וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• was going downבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• a deep sleepתַּרְדֵּמָהtardêmâh · deep sleepH8639
• fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• upon Abramאַבְרָם'abrâm · AbramH87
• and, lo, an horrorאֵימָה'êymâh 'êmâh · terrorH367
• of greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• darknessחֲשֵׁכָהchăshêkâh chăshêykâh · darknessH2825

Cross-references for Genesis 15:12

• Genesis 2:21So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.
• 1 Samuel 26:12So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul’s head, and they left, and no one saw or knew nor did anyone awaken, because they were all sound asleep, for a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.
• Job 4:13Amid disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men,
• Job 33:15In a dream, a vision of the night [one may hear God’s voice], When deep sleep falls on men While slumbering upon the bed,
• Daniel 10:8So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my normal appearance turned to a deathly pale, and I grew weak and faint [with fright].
• Acts 20:9and there was a young man named Eutychus (“Lucky”) sitting on the window sill. He was sinking into a deep sleep, and as Paul kept on talking longer and longer, he was completely overcome by sleep and fell down from the third story; and he was picked up dead.
• Psalms 4:3But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself [and dealt wonderfully with] the godly man [the one of honorable character and moral courage—the one who does right]. The Lord hears and responds when I call to Him.
• Acts 9:8Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

Commentaries on Genesis 15:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12A deep sleep - תרדמה tardemah, the same word which is used to express the sleep into which Adam was cast, previous to the formation of Eve; Genesis 2:21. A horror of great darkness - Which God designed to be expressive of the affliction and misery into which his posterity should be brought during the four hundred years of their bondage in Egypt; as the next verse particularly states.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-21Verses 1-21 - The Faith of Abram 1. דבר dābār “a word, a thing;” the word being the sign of the thing. 2. אדני 'ǎdonāy “Adonai, the Lord;” related: “bring down, lay down.” This is the name usually read in place of Yahweh; but when, as in the present case, יהוה yehovâh and אדני 'ǎdonāy are in apposition, אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym is read instead of the former. The Jews from a feeling of reverence avoided the utterance of this sacred name except on the most…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-16Verses 12-16 A deep sleep fell upon Abram; with this sleep a horror of great darkness fell upon him: a sudden change. The children of light do not always walk in the light. Several things were then foretold. 1. The suffering state of Abram's seed for a long time. They shall be strangers. The heirs of heaven are strangers on earth. They shall be servants; but Canaanites serve under a curse, the Hebrews under a blessing. They shall be suffers. Those that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-21In a special ceremony, God made a covenant with Abram and promised to do what he had said.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-219-21. Take me an heifer, &c.--On occasions of great importance, when two or more parties join in a compact, they either observe precisely the same rites as Abram did, or, where they do not, they invoke the lamp as their witness. According to these ideas, which have been from time immemorial engraven on the minds of Eastern people, the Lord Himself condescended to enter into covenant with Abram. The patriarch did not pass between the sacrifice and the…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 15:12

• Abraham
• Condescension of God
• Covenant
• Sign
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Abram
• Abraham, Abram
• Deep Sleep
• Chronology
• Count
• Covenant
• Exceeding
• Fear
• Heir
• Horror

Commentaries on Genesis 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings